Millions of people in South and Southeast Asia face the prospect of catastrophic flooding each year. The floods destroy crops and infrastructure worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

At other times of the year, these same people can face severe water shortages that also affect food production and livelihoods. The severity of these events is expected to increase as a result of climate change.

CGIAR Scientists have been working on innovative ways of trapping and storing floodwater and using it during the dry season. This short film explores the idea of the Underground Taming of Floods (UTFI) as a possible response to a growing problem.

The research comes from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)-led CGIAR Research Program on Water Land and Ecosystems (WLE), together with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).